A significant development long-anticipated by many Togolese citizens whose professional journeys spanned both public and private sectors has arrived. The Caisse de Retraites du Togo (CRT) and the Caisse nationale de sécurité sociale (CNSS) have now implemented a coordinated pension liquidation mechanism. This crucial reform eliminates a frequently complex procedure, ensuring that insured individuals can have their entire career recognized.
A single, comprehensive career now fully recognized
Previously, a change in professional status could complicate the retirement process. Many workers who contributed successively to the CRT and then the CNSS, or vice versa, often faced lengthy and sometimes disadvantageous administrative hurdles when attempting to validate their years of contributions.
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This situation is now changing. The CRT and CNSS have announced the activation of the coordinated pension liquidation mechanism, in line with interministerial decrees. This measure allows for the aggregation of contribution periods made under both regimes to accurately calculate retirement entitlements.
Public and private sectors: tangible changes for your pension
This reform applies to all workers whose careers have spanned both systems, particularly those who transitioned between public service and the private sector. The primary benefit is substantial: no year of contribution will be overlooked in the calculation of entitlements. Periods validated with the CRT and those recorded with the CNSS will now be collectively considered to determine eligibility for a pension.
Another significant modification is that insured individuals will no longer need to request the repurchase or transfer of their contributions from one regime to another. This process previously often led to delays, additional costs, and administrative burdens.
Securing rights: receiving your pension without delay
The reform also introduces greater flexibility. If an insured person meets the retirement conditions in just one regime, they can receive the corresponding pension immediately, without waiting to fulfill the criteria required by the second regime. They can then have their complementary rights liquidated once those conditions are met. This provision ensures that future retirees avoid periods without income while awaiting the full validation of their career.
The importance of this pivotal reform
Furthermore, this reform enhances fairness among workers. It addresses an increasingly common reality: many Togolese today transition between public and private sectors during their professional lives. Until now, such mobility could jeopardize their retirement rights.
By recognizing the entirety of a professional journey, both funds guarantee better continuity of social rights and minimize the risk of certain years of contribution having little or no impact on the final pension.
Modernizing social protection in Togo: key figures
This harmonization is an integral part of Togo’s strategy to modernize its social protection system. In 2025, the CRT, responsible for pensions of civil and military public servants, disbursed 52.5 billion FCFA in social benefits. Meanwhile, the CNSS continues to broaden its coverage to private sector employees, self-employed individuals, and those operating in the informal economy.
By facilitating coordination between the two regimes, authorities aim to adapt the retirement system to the increasingly diverse career paths of Togolese workers.
The 5 major advantages of the reform for insured individuals
- All years contributed to both the CRT and the CNSS are now factored into the calculation of retirement rights.
- Insured individuals no longer need to repurchase or transfer their contributions between regimes.
- Administrative procedures have become simpler and faster.
- Workers who have changed professional status retain the full value of their entire career.
- An insured person can receive their pension from the first regime as soon as conditions are met, without waiting for those of the second.
This reform therefore represents a major step forward for Togolese workers who have experienced multiple professional statuses. By valuing the entirety of their journey, it enhances the financial security of future retirees and makes the retirement system fairer, more transparent, and better adapted to the realities of the labor market.
